Hello all,
Fifteen years ago, on May 17, my wife Kris died of a brain aneurysm. Her death was sudden, unforeseen, and devastating to me, to my children, and to all who knew and loved her. If you have ever gone through so unexpected and monstrous a tragedy, then you understand the shock, the blur of events and memory, and the sadness that follow in the wake of such a loss.
Fortunately, my battered family had help. We were part of a large homeschooling community. These people, and my relatives, rallied round us, providing meals for months, offers of transportation and babysitting, and money for a college fund my mother-in-law encouraged us to set up. These supports eased our sadness and our way into the future.
I often think of those good people, even after so many years. I am thinking of them particularly right now.
Fifteen years ago, on May 17, my wife Kris died of a brain aneurysm. Her death was sudden, unforeseen, and devastating to me, to my children, and to all who knew and loved her. If you have ever gone through so unexpected and monstrous a tragedy, then you understand the shock, the blur of events and memory, and the sadness that follow in the wake of such a loss.
Fortunately, my battered family had help. We were part of a large homeschooling community. These people, and my relatives, rallied round us, providing meals for months, offers of transportation and babysitting, and money for a college fund my mother-in-law encouraged us to set up. These supports eased our sadness and our way into the future.
I often think of those good people, even after so many years. I am thinking of them particularly right now.
On the evening of Easter Sunday, Aaron Wolf, a man in his mid-forties who for years was my editor at Chronicles Magazine, died of a massive heart attack, leaving behind his wife and his six children.
I only met Aaron once face to face, at a seminar offered by the magazine in Rockford, Illinois about ten years ago, but we were correspondents whenever I submitted articles to the magazine, and his own writing in that publication told me that he was a man who cared for truth, tradition, history, and his faith.
Here is a tribute from the former editor-in-chief of Chronicles, Thomas Fleming, and from Aaron’s wife, Lorrie: https://fleming.foundation/2019/04/aaron-wolfe-requiescat-in-pace/.
Another outfit for which I write, Intellectual Takeout under the auspices of the Charlemagne Institute, has in the past few months acquired Chronicles. Like me, and like the Chronicles staff and writers, these editors and writers were stunned by the death of this good man. As can be seen from Devin Foley’s email below, they have decided to do something to help the family and to honor Aaron Wolf.
Dear Contributors of Chronicles,
As I mentioned yesterday, we now have a GoFundMe page up for Aaron’s family. The goal is to raise about $25,000 or a little more to cover the (outrageous) costs of the funeral, plot, and some transition help for Lorrie and Carl. Here is the link: https://www.gofundme.com/aaron-wolf-family-memorial-fund.
We are also establishing a Wolf Family Trust Fund for more significant giving that will help provide for Lorrie and the kids for the long haul. If you know of anyone who might be interested in helping with that, please have them e-mail me as we are taking pledges.
Finally, once Aaron’s family is provided for properly, we will then work to create an Aaron Wolf Editorship (or something along those lines) and raise sufficient funds to endow the position.
For now, though, please consider supporting Aaron’s family. No matter the size of the gift, everything helps.
When I was visiting with Lorrie and the kids on Tuesday afternoon, Aaron’s oldest son, Gus, told me early on that he would quit college to get a job and provide for the family. I told him that he will do no such thing because we will provide for the family one way or another. Nonetheless, what a sense of love and duty…
I share that story with you because I was so impressed by that young man. With six kids myself, I’ve come to understand that our children are quite often a reflection of who we are as parents and individuals – and what a beautiful reflection of Aaron is to be seen in his children. They are a wonderful, wonderful family.
Godspeed,
Devin C. Foley
Co-Founder & CEO
I am posting Mr. Foley’s email here in hopes that my readers will help this family with contributions. Few of you, I suspect, are readers of Chronicles or know Aaron Wolf, but here is a chance to help a family through grief and financial hardship, as I was once helped and perhaps as you have been helped. To those who then offered me not only condolences but material help as well, I have always felt immense gratitude. I am sure the Wolf family would feel the same.
Best to all of you reading these words, as always,
Jeff
I only met Aaron once face to face, at a seminar offered by the magazine in Rockford, Illinois about ten years ago, but we were correspondents whenever I submitted articles to the magazine, and his own writing in that publication told me that he was a man who cared for truth, tradition, history, and his faith.
Here is a tribute from the former editor-in-chief of Chronicles, Thomas Fleming, and from Aaron’s wife, Lorrie: https://fleming.foundation/2019/04/aaron-wolfe-requiescat-in-pace/.
Another outfit for which I write, Intellectual Takeout under the auspices of the Charlemagne Institute, has in the past few months acquired Chronicles. Like me, and like the Chronicles staff and writers, these editors and writers were stunned by the death of this good man. As can be seen from Devin Foley’s email below, they have decided to do something to help the family and to honor Aaron Wolf.
Dear Contributors of Chronicles,
As I mentioned yesterday, we now have a GoFundMe page up for Aaron’s family. The goal is to raise about $25,000 or a little more to cover the (outrageous) costs of the funeral, plot, and some transition help for Lorrie and Carl. Here is the link: https://www.gofundme.com/aaron-wolf-family-memorial-fund.
We are also establishing a Wolf Family Trust Fund for more significant giving that will help provide for Lorrie and the kids for the long haul. If you know of anyone who might be interested in helping with that, please have them e-mail me as we are taking pledges.
Finally, once Aaron’s family is provided for properly, we will then work to create an Aaron Wolf Editorship (or something along those lines) and raise sufficient funds to endow the position.
For now, though, please consider supporting Aaron’s family. No matter the size of the gift, everything helps.
When I was visiting with Lorrie and the kids on Tuesday afternoon, Aaron’s oldest son, Gus, told me early on that he would quit college to get a job and provide for the family. I told him that he will do no such thing because we will provide for the family one way or another. Nonetheless, what a sense of love and duty…
I share that story with you because I was so impressed by that young man. With six kids myself, I’ve come to understand that our children are quite often a reflection of who we are as parents and individuals – and what a beautiful reflection of Aaron is to be seen in his children. They are a wonderful, wonderful family.
Godspeed,
Devin C. Foley
Co-Founder & CEO
I am posting Mr. Foley’s email here in hopes that my readers will help this family with contributions. Few of you, I suspect, are readers of Chronicles or know Aaron Wolf, but here is a chance to help a family through grief and financial hardship, as I was once helped and perhaps as you have been helped. To those who then offered me not only condolences but material help as well, I have always felt immense gratitude. I am sure the Wolf family would feel the same.
Best to all of you reading these words, as always,
Jeff
RSS Feed